Mary Alice HOLMAN MLA [11985]

   Another name for Mary was May HOLMAN.

  General Notes:

Mary married in politician Joe Gardiner in 1914, but they divorced in 1920 after never having lived together since there marriage. Following Mary's death, her brother Edward became the member for Forrest.

The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Thu 4 Dec 1919 Page 9 A SECRET MARRIAGE.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27669446
A SECRET MARRIAGE.
PETITION FOR DIVORCE.
EX-MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
RESPONDENT.
Secretly married at the Perth Registry Office in May, 1914, the former member for Roebourne in the Legislative Assembly, Joseph Peter Gardiner, never lived with his wife, according to evidence related in the Divorce Court yesterday. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert McMillan) was petitioned by Mary Alice Gardiner, daughter of Mr. J. B. Holman. M.L.A., for a dissolution of the marriage, on the ground of desertion.
Mr. W. M. Nairn, for the petitioner, said that in 1914 the respondent had taken to drink; and the petitioner's parents would not approve of the proposed marriage until he had made some attempt to provide a home. Accordingly the parties were married at the registry office and parted at the door. A few days later respondent went to the North-West. His idea was to resign from Parliament, and to go on a pearling venture, and, when he was established, to send for his wife. When he reached his constituency, he was persuaded to stand again for Parliament. He returned to Perth in July, 1914, and took up a totally different attitude towards the petitioner. He called at the house of her parents in a state of drunkenness, and showed complete indifference. He made appointments with the petitioner, but never kept them. He shortly afterwards returned to the North-West to contest the election, without saying good-bye. Having won the election, he again returned to Perth in November, 1914. The petitioner saw him at the Trades Hall and Parliament House, and on one occasion she saw him take a number of her unopened letters out of his pocket, and he said that he did not have time to read them. The respondent disappeared from the State, and his seat was declared vacant. He was ultimately found to be in South Australia. The petitioner had no communication from the respondent until March, 1916, when he wrote from Victoria, stating that he had enlisted, and had made an allotment in her favour. He declared his intention not to live with the petitioner and said that if he got through he intended to go to England. He mentioned that he had loved her all along, and still did so, adding that she was a girl of unblemished character, and that he had been of no use to himself and a burden
to others. The respondent's father was in Melbourne in July and August last, and served the citation on the respondent who had returned from Europe. He repeated that it was his intention to leave Australia at the earliest opportunity, and said that his decision to leave the petitioner was final and unalterable.

The petitioner, in giving corroborative evidence, said that the respondent was a native of South Australia. Her father did not find out about the marriage until the middle of August, 1914.

J. B. Holman, M.L.A, in the course of evidence, said that when he was in Melbourne recently he endeavoured to induce the respondent to honour the marriage contract, but he refused.

His Honour, having commented on the unusual nature of the case, said that he had only to be satisfied that the respondent had deserted the petitioner without any good cause. The respondent made no suggestion whatever against the petitioner, but spoke of her as a girl of unblemished character. It seemed to be quite clear from the evidence that the respondent never had any real intention of living with the petitioner. The marriage was a very unfortunate one. It was a secret marriage, because, for very good reasons, the parents objected to it at that time. There would be a decree nisi, returnable in six months with costs.

South Western Times (Bunbury, WA : 1932 - 1954) Tue 21 Mar 1939 Page 3 NOTABLE CAREER
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/252457273
NOTABLE CAREER
Miss Mary Alice Holman, who was more generally known as Miss "May" Holman, was born at Broken Hill (New South Wales) on July 18, 1893, and she came to this State with her mother when only two years old, her father, the late Mr. J. B. Holman, having arrived ; almost two years earlier. The eldest of a family of eleven, she was educated at a convent in Cue, where they made their home, and later at the Sacred Heart High School, Perth. Her education completed, she became a typist at the Perth Trades Hall and, in her leisure hours, she continued her musical studies attaining the degrees of L.A.B., for singing and L.A.B., L.T.C.L. and A.T.C.L., for piano.

In 1918 she became assistant secretary to the then State branch of the Australian Timber Workers' Union, and it was the ability she displayed in this position, coupled with the popularity which she quickly earned for herself, which paved the way for her entry into Parliament. Her father, whose name will always be remembered as one of the outstanding men of the early days of the Labour Party in this State, had long been prominent in the timber workers' organisation and was a member of Parliament for various terms between 1901 and his death in 1925. The timber workers saw in his daughter a fitting successor to his seat and she had little difficulty in gaining it in 1925. When she won the seat Miss Holman achieved the distinction of being the second woman, and the first woman representing the Labour Party, to sit in a Australian Parliament. In the succeeding years she had no trouble in retaining her seat.

Miss Holman was always deeply loyal to the Labour Party and her outstanding services to the party were recognised in 1933, when she had the distinction of being elected as secretary to the Parliamentary Labour Party, a post she held until the time of her death. She was delegate to several State A.L.P. congresses and to the interstate A.L.P. congress at Canberra in 1930; past president and secretary to the Perth Labour Women's Organisation; and Labour representative on the Adult Education Board. She helped to form the Labour Women's Central Executive and the Labour Women's Inter-state Executive- and was first president of the Labour Women's Central Executive of Western Australia from 1927 to 1930 and secretary in 1932-33. She was the representative of the Labour women on the Economic Council and a director of the "Westralian Worker" newspaper.

In 1930 she was appointed substitute delegate for the Commonwealth to the League of Nations Assembly at Geneva, hut her influence in this sphere was diminished by ill-health, which forced her to spend much of the following year in hospital. Miss Holman was also keenly interested in the West Australian Federation of Parents and Citizens' Associations - and she was general president at the time of her death, having filled the position for a number of years.

She is survived by three brothers - Messrs. J. B., E. J. and W. T. Holman - and five sisters - Mesdames- M. Corboy, W. Burge, B. Demasson and E. Thompson and Miss Shiela Holman.


Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 - 1954) Tue 21 Mar 1939 Page 4 MISS HOLMAN, M.L.A.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/94838634
MISS HOLMAN, MLA.
Dies From Her Injuries
A BRILLIANT CAREER
Perth, March 20.
Within three hours of being declared re-elected for the Forrest seat in the Legislative Assembly - a seat she had held continuously since 1925, when she was elected at a by-election caused by her father's death - Miss May Holman, J.P., M.L.A died in the St. John of God Hospital, Bunbury, to-day as a result of injuries she received in a motor accident last Friday night.

Miss Holman's name had been placed on the danger list at the hospital immediately she was admitted for treatment of internal injuries and fractures to both legs, an arm and some ribs. She rallied on Saturday and some hope was held out for her recovery, but during the night she weakened slowly and she died at 5.45 p.m. to-day.
When the accident happened Miss Holman was engaged in the closing stages of her election campaign accompanied by her sister, Mrs. B. Demasson, who was driving the car, she was travelling towards Brookhampton and they were about nine miles from Bunbury when the car skidded and overturned. Mrs. Demasson received a broken rib and a broken arm. Both women were picked up by a passing motorist and taken to Bunbury Hospital.
In the election on Saturday Miss Holman easily retained her seat and the returning officer, Mr. G C. Shier, declared her elected in the Brunswick Junction Memorial Hall about 3.30 o'clock this afternoon. She had a majority of 1157. One of her brothers, Mr. E. J. Holman, was a Labour candidate for the North Perth seat, but he was not successful. He was informed of his sister's accident while addressing a meeting and he left for Bunbury early on Saturday morning. By a tragic coincidence, Miss Holman's death occurred on the fourth anniversary of that of her mother, who died on March 20. 1935.
Accomplished Pianist
Miss Mary Alice Holman, who was more generally known as Miss May Holman., was born at Broken Hill. New South Wales, on July 18, 1893, and she came to this State with her mother when only two years old, her father, the late Mr. J. B. Holman. having arrived almost two years earlier. She was educated at a convent at Cue and later at the Sacred Heart High School, Perth. She became a typist and was an accomplished pianist.

During the war Miss Holman used her talents freely to entertain invalid soldiers and to raise money to relieve war distress. In 1918 she became assistant secretary to the then State branch of the Australian Timber Workers' Union, and it was the ability she displayed in this position which opened the way for her to enter political life. When her father died in 1925 she successfully contested the Forrest seat, which she held until her death.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Sat 4 Apr 1925 Page 34 PERSONAL.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2074604
Miss Mary Alice Holman, Labour candidate for Forrest seat in the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, was elected unopposed' yesterday. The vacancy in the House had been caused by the death of her father. Mr. J. B. Holman.

The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954) Fri 18 Jul 1930 Page 5 PERSONAL
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242809502
Miss May Holman, the only woman Labor representative in an Australian parliament, celebrates her birthday today. She was born in Broken Hill. She succeeded her father, the late Mr John Barkell Holman. as the member for Forrest. In the West Australian Parliament on his death in 1925. At that time she was the only woman representative in any Australian Parliament. Miss Holman has done a good deal of secretarial work for the unionists In the timber Industry, and has a high place in the esteem of the workers. She is an excellent player on the piano and a capable vocalist, music being her hobby. The only other woman member of Parliament in Australia is Mrs A. J. Longman, who represents Bullmba in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, and is on the combined Nationalist and Country Party side.

The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Tue 21 Mar 1939 Page 9 DEATH OF W.A. WOMAN M.L.A.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205983904
DEATH OF W.A.
WOMAN M.LA.

Just Declared
Re-Elected
PERTH, Monday. - Seriously injured in a car accident when proceeding to address the final meeting of her campaign, Miss May Alice Holman, M.L.A. for Forrest, died in Bunbury Hospital to-night after her re-election had been declared.
As the life of Miss Holman, M.L.A., was despaired of late this afternoon, a special effort was made by the Electoral department to have the poll for her electorate, Forrest, completed. Just after four o'clock the last returns had been received and counted. The poll was then declared, showing that Miss Holman had been re-elected for Forrest by a majority of 1157. The- news was telegraphed to Mr. J.Holman. who was sitting by his sister's , bedside, but Miss Holman was too low for the news to he given to her.

Miss Holman's life was characterised by remarkable activity, a variety of accomplishments, and many years of unceasing endeavor in interests of the Labor party .She was the first woman member of' Parliament in the Commonwealth at the time of her election in 1925.

Born In Broken Hill, on July 18, 1893, the late Miss Holman came to West Australia with her parents in 1896. She was educated at the Dominician Convent, Cue, and the Sacred Heart High School, Perth. She matriculated at Adelaide and Perth Universities. Her father, the late John Barkell Holman, was among the pioneers of the Labor movement In West Australia. He entered Parliament In 1901, and remained a member of the Legislative assembly until his death In 1925

The late Miss Holman's connection with the Labor movement began In 1911, when she was employed as a typist at the Trades Hall, Perth. In 1918 she became assistant secretary to the Australian Timber Workers Union (W.A. t Branch). For the six months in 1925 she was acting secretary of the union.

First Labor Woman Member
Miss Holman 'was selected to contest the seat her father had held, and she became the first Labor woman to enter an Australian Parliament. Miss Holman promptly won a high measure of respectful attention from co-members. Her keenness and earnestness were factors that gained her high respect. A thorough knowledge of the timber industry, a wide range of general knowledge, and a marked ability to express herself lucidly and convincingly, made her Parliamentary career consistently successful.
OTHER FINAL COUNTS
Election counts completed to-night were: - .......................................
FORREST: The late Miss Holman (Lab.),
2318; Retnllnck (Ind.). 1102. Majority for
late Miss Holman, 1221.....................

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Annulment, 1920, , WA, Australia.

Mary married Joseph Peter GARDINER [11986] [MRIN: 4047] in 1914 in , WA, Australia. The marriage ended in annulment in 1920. (Joseph Peter GARDINER [11986] was born in 1886 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia and died in 1965 in , Victoria, Australia.)